Perfect Strangers

- 4 -

She shook her head fondly at him. "Which you didn't have to do."

"You're letting me stay here. It was the least I could do."

"You didn't have to watch a movie with me if you were tired," she said gently.

"I wanted to. I'm just sorry I slept through most of it."

"Don't be. It was nice," she said unthinkingly.

His eyebrows drew together. "It was?"

Lauren had a sharp intake of breath. "You're pretty cute when you're asleep," she figured it was safe to admit.

"Cute?" he asked, and she nodded, praying a blush wouldn't give her away. "But not while I'm awake, huh?" He grinned his lopsided grin at her and she felt herself melting.

"You said it, not me," she said.

"Well how about you put another movie on and I go back to sleep?"

"Are you still tired?"

"No, but you clearly prefer my company when I'm asleep than when I'm awake so-"

She hit him with a cushion, laughing. "I told you I like your company. I love talking to you."

His eyes softened and he laid his hand on her thigh. "I love talking to you too."

Now was the time to tell him. 'I like you'. Love was more accurate, but she could take it one step at a time. All she had to do was say it. What was the worst that could happen? He told her he didn't feel the same way and they had an awkward few days sharing the house until he could get a flight home. And her heart got crushed.

She'd waited too long. He pulled his hand back and picked up his phone, checking the time.

"I should go make lunch," she said. "What will you eat?"

"Whatever you're making," he replied. "Do you need any help?" he asked.

"No, I got it. Thank you, though." She needed the space to clear her head, because the longer she was around him the closer she came to telling him she'd fallen for him. It wasn't fair to him. He'd just taken up her offer of somewhere to stay, he didn't sign up for her catching feelings. Sure, it was his fault for being so infuriatingly cute as well as kind, not to mention funny and easy to talk to. But she didn't want to put any pressure on him to reciprocate.

"Food's ready," she called him as she put their plates on the table and went back to grab cutlery.

"This looks great, Lauren," he said, smiling at her.

She smiled weakly back and sat down, struck by domesticity of seeing him at her table eating her food, even if she wasn't allowed to think like that.

"Still no news on flights," he told her as they ate.

"Do you feel okay about spending Christmas here? I know it's not ideal..."

"If you want some space I get it-"

"No!" she exclaimed. "No, it... it would be nice to have you here." Even if she did feel like she was dying every moment she spent around him. He still made her happier than she'd felt in a long time.

He smiled at her. "I'd like that."

"I can go out tomorrow and get some more food in, do a proper Christmas dinner."

"I can come with you."

"Yeah, that'd be great," she said, her heart genuinely feeling lighter for having Joey with her for Christmas.

They'd both finished eating, and Joey stood and reached for her empty plate. She thought about stopping him, but she realised she needed to learn to let him help out a bit. He had too big of a heart not to. She followed him out to the kitchen, and he turned around to her as he started running hot water into the sink.

"Lauren-"

"If you're washing them I can dry," she insisted. "My house," she reminded him, in case he was about to protest again.

He relented and grinned at her, and they got through the dishes in no time.

"Is there anything else you wanted to do today?" she asked him as she handed him the towel to dry his hands. "I would suggest another movie, but I don't know if you can manage that without falling asleep on me."

"Very funny," he said, playfully pushing her shoulder. "I could stay awake."

"Or I have Mario Kart, if you don't mind losing-"

"You think you could beat me at Mario Kart?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "You're on."

"Watch me kick your ass," she said. It was all talk. She was useless at Mario Kart, but she wasn't going to back down now. And she supposed she could always blame her loss on Joey distracting her, which she had no doubt he would. Even if it wasn't on purpose.